Northern Ireland’s High Court has dismissed a fresh legal challenge seeking to stop a Protestant parade from passing through a Catholic area of Portadown, clearing the way for the controversial Drumcree procession.
The ruling followed a decision by the Court of Appeal to overturn a temporary injunction granted to residents on Saturday. The residents had challenged a decision by Northern Ireland’s Parades Commission allowing the Orange Order to march along Garvaghy Road during its annual parade.
The commission’s decision reversed an almost 30-year restriction on the route, which has historically been at the centre of tensions between Protestant and Catholic communities in Portadown.
The legal dispute unfolded through a series of hearings over the weekend, with the High Court ultimately finding that the Parades Commission had considered relevant evidence and reached a decision that could not be overturned on the grounds presented.
The development came as protesters gathered along Garvaghy Road ahead of the planned march. Authorities had urged all sides to remain peaceful, amid concerns over the potential for renewed tensions.
The Drumcree dispute became one of the most prominent flashpoints of Northern Ireland’s past sectarian conflict, making the latest parade particularly sensitive for local communities.
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